Wednesday, February 1, 2012

At first the baby bump was cute. Everyone was excited and you couldn't wait to show it off. But now that your bundle of joy has arrived, the baby bump is frustrating and you have to hide it. Losing the excess baby weight after childbirth is a very common problem for many of us. But it can be done!

photo courtesy morgueFile

The pregnancy process is a bit counterproductive to a normal 'fit' lifestyle. Your body craves more food and physically, you are forced to slow down and take it easy as the due date approaches. This creates a natural slowing of your metabolism as well as an increase in fat deposits for most of us. After giving birth it is usually a hectic adjustment to the constant waking to feed along with recovery from the physical experience; which makes the idea of exercise daunting to say the least. However this is one thing you should do for yourself and your baby!

Focus Points

• Abdominal muscles
• Lower back
• Arms & Shoulders

Some strength training should always be done after giving birth. You need to focus on a regular workout for abs and the lower back to help combat strain to the body from weight gain and weight loss. In addition, a change in breast size due to feeding can cause lower back problems if the muscles aren't strengthened. Also the arms and shoulders are typical trouble spots that need to be worked on. Carrying around a newborn and all of that baby gear is hard work and strong arms and shoulders will help immensely.

Cardiovascular Work

• Yoga
• Walking/Running
• Aerobics

photo courtesy stock.xchng

Surprisingly after the first few weeks of childbirth is the best time to start exercising again. A basic schedule has been developed for napping and you will have some time to devote to regular exercise. Yoga is very popular because it typically includes calming meditation as well as strengthening into the workout program. You can easily pop in a DVD while the baby naps.

Walking and running are another good starting point because you can utilize nap times and a stroller to enjoy exercise as well as getting out of the house. Aerobics can be a bit much to jump right into but with the variety of exercise programs and DVDs, they are very easy to incorporate into a nap schedule.

Diet

Typically right after child birth is not the best time to start any sort of hard diet. Your body is in recovery mode and if you are breastfeeding then you do not want to limit nutrients. However portions can be reduced from what you were eating in the previous two months as that was eating for two. Additionally drinking lots of water and eating regular meals will go a very long ways to re-establishing a more normal metabolism. Many people after birth end up eating sporadically and in a very unhealthy manner due to time constraints of adjusting to life with a baby.

Losing that baby weight and getting back in shape with not only help you physically but also mentally. This can help battle postpartum depression, strengthen your body for the coming toddler years, and help alleviate stress. By taking some time to help yourself, you will also help your child and family by having more energy and a better mood.

This is a guest post by Keira Sullivan and has been brought to you buy AbdominalWorkouts.com.

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